Captain's Corner: Perfect weather

What's hot: Florida is living up to its reputation. We continue to be blessed with beautiful weather and light winds. You couldn't ask for a better time to fish. The light winds and cooler water temperature will let you target some offshore species you may not usually go after in a smaller boat. This time of year brings grouper closer to shore. Keeper red grouper are being caught in 30-40 feet. Some really big gag grouper in the 15-pound range are being caught as well. While gags are nice to catch, we have to let them go. There are also plenty of Key West grunts.

Tips: The inshore bite has been really good. If you fish in the morning this week, you might want to bring your waders. The negative tides will keep you out of your favorite fishing holes until later in the afternoon. This year seems like another banner year for big gator trout. Most trips are producing trout up to 28 inches. They have been eating big hand-size greenbacks free lined on a small No. 1 hook. Redfish have been mixed in with the trout but are very finicky. You might catch two for every 20 you come across.

Mike Gore charters out of Tampa Bay. Call him at (813) 390-6600 or visit tampacharters.com.